Last Friday, the Police Commissioner of NSW filed a last-minute lawsuit against Keep Sydney Open, resulting in the Supreme Court issuing a prohibition order against the organisation’s application for a night rally, scheduled for Saturday, January 21st. However, organisers refuse to give up, with Keep Sydney Open announcing their third rally against Sydney’s controversial lockout laws on 18 February 2017.
With Gladys Berejiklian being recently appointed as the new Premier of NSW, protesters believe that this is the perfect time to apply more pressure on the government to change the state’s current lockout laws. Since its introduction in 2014, NSW’s divisive lockout laws have been blamed for the closure of numerous iconic live entertainment venues across Sydney, earning harsh criticism from members of the Australian small-business and entertainment industry.
In a new press release, organisers of the Keep Sydney Open campaign said that the upcoming protest will not only focus on changing the lockout laws, but also to defend the rights of NSW citizens ” to gather on the streets and express ourselves politically.”
You can keep up to date with the latest news on the Keep Sydney Open rally here.
Photo by Ashley Mar.
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